Posts
I don't mean to come off as a total pessimist, but I don't think that I have been in many classes where true discussion was taking place. I have experienced/witnessed debate, leading, prompting... but very infrequently have I come across a class that actually provided opportunity for true discussion--an instance of high participation, deep reflection, and connection making. I know that most of the GE classes I have taken didn't leave much room at all for discussion. Most were in lecture halls with a professor talking at the class--the center of information. Even in many of my core classes, much of the "discussion" that I have experienced is led with definite answers, or at least "right" answers. There is less room for interpretation and reader response.
I guess I am getting a bit general in that observation. I think that in an average "discussion" in class, the majority of it is teacher led. There are answers that the prof leads to and prompts for. I have even experienced profs who take a student's answer and then change the words--and at times even the ideas--around to make it mean exactly what they think it should. Other times, student and student, or professor and student get caught in a debate and fight over meaning. No one backs down and no connections are made. These "discussions" do nothing for building meaning and aren't discussion. They shut off the purpose of learning. There is no growth. One person wins, the other loses, and ultimately one idea is determined as right. But, even when these things are happening, I think there are still flickers of true discussion. Moments where individuals tune into the deeper thread of the conversation and start to weave a blanket of meaning that brings together perspectives, influences, ideas, and alternate opinions. At these moments, student and professor work together to create meaning that connects each individual and his/her experiences to a possible meaning. Yes, the meaning is unique and possibly alternative, but it still aligns with academic interpretation and is backed by the text/anecdotes/knowledge being discussed. (I am not saying this critique applies to all classes. I have had those that had true discussion often. And I think I gained the most in those classes)
I think that as a future teacher I am going to have to teach my students how to have true discussion. I know that there isn't a single instance where I can remember someone teaching me how to really listen and make connections between what I hear, what I feel, what I know, what I have read, and what I learn. These things are all important and through listening, an individual can gain insight into a concept that she/he may never have considered before. Also, through talking about these concepts and the new knowledge that has arisen, students can make connections and help to build meaning through combined perspectives.
I think that the reading that really pulled this idea out for me was the Speaking to Think/Thinking to Speak reading. I got so much from this piece (mostly because it informed my rationale) but also because it really drew out some of the ideas I have been percolating. I know that some of this teaching will be informal and will just be process based—I’ll simply throw students into a situation where they have to experience the roles and expectations. However, I feel that this is almost tricking them into an experience they may not really gain from. Therefore, I would also prep students for discussion by asking them to record thoughts and questions and then after with reflective writing on what they have gained and how their thinking has changed through the use of discussion. I wouldn’t use this method with every discussion, but I do think it would be useful to implement occasionally to enforce the purpose and goals of discussion.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Rationale (comments welcome!)
The world is populated with hundreds of thousands of different cultures. Each culture has its own set of beliefs and rules that govern the way its people think and behave. These rules tend to differ from culture to culture and are the dividing factor between groups of people. Most cultures can survive on their own, using the rules and beliefs held within them to lead fulfilling lives. However, as the world we live in shifts and changes, different groups of people are forced to interact with new and diverse cultures. In those situations, individuals have two options: attempt to ignore/destroy whatever is different, or learn to understand/make connections to the different group.
Throughout history, many groups or individuals have chosen to destroy whatever culture is different from their own—Cortez and the Aztecs, Adolf Hitler and the Jews, North and South in the Civil War, Liberals and Conservatives on political issues, Blacks and Whites on Civil Rights Issues—and repeatedly, these decisions have been viewed as terrible and destructive both as they are happening and after the event has occurred. As teachers, we strive to impart the injustice of destroying another’s culture simply because it is different from one’s own. It is this belief that became the main drive behind the unit I have designed on Multicultural Perspectives, and lead me to the conclusion that students need to learn the tools necessary to understand and communicate with those who are different from them. Through this unit, I hope to give students the tools necessary to not only understand themselves and the cultural perspectives they hold, but also to understand the various perspectives of classmates and how to make connections that create a community of understanding and acceptance.
In the first part of this unit, the students will be spending time writing about and understanding the idea of perspective. This will be an important step in the development of the unit. Many of my students will be unaware of their own personal perspectives on many of the issues around them and will not recognize that those perspectives are influenced by their culture. To help students to begin thinking about these issues, I will introduce them to journals as a way of communicating their ideas and thinking about the concept and the different exercises they participate in during and outside of class. The reason I have chosen journals and writing for this section of the class is to help students to create their own personal understanding of the concept of perspective. I will look over these journals periodically to gain insight into student understanding and to help bring common issues to the class that students may have raised in their writing.
Also, since I am attempting to create an environment in which students begin to understand and use tools of communication to help interact with and relate to others, practicing how to write fluently and expressively in the journal format will help students to become more comfortable with writing. Dan Kirby, Dawn Latta Kirby, and Tom Liner support me in this use of the journal stating, “the writer may feel freer in this place where spelling, punctuation, and usage will not be red-penciled…the personal level of the journal makes it a dynamic instructional tool without crossing boundaries of student-teacher roles” (Inside Out 61,63). The use of the journal will be to create an environment of fluency and openness where students can write their thoughts without fear of over-abundant correction. Students will be asked to write about different activities they do in and outside of class and will use their writing to help assist their comments and participation in class discussions where I will help to lead students in developing a class understanding of perspective.
The discussions I lead the class in will also help to create an open environment where students feel as though their comments are appreciated. I believe creating this type of environment is important for my students because they will need to feel comfortable and accepted in order to have a positive and powerful learning experience. In the book Choice Theory in the Classroom, William Glasser explains the importance of creating a classroom community where students feel accepted and able. “To work in secondary school, we have to devise programs in which it will make sense for…groups…to become friendly with each other and work together…This, in turn, will lead all students to do more work and become better friends” (12). I also feel that if all of my students are comfortable and accepted in the classroom, a sense of community will be created. Students will be able to learn from one another, work more collaboratively, and become more accepting and understanding of the many different perspectives present in the class.
Once the students have built a group understanding of the concept of perspective, I will introduce them to the idea of multicultural perspective. To do this, I would provide students with the definition of the term Multiculturalism: “the preservation of different cultures or cultural identities within a unified society” (http://dictionary.reference.com). Using this term, I would start to scaffold student learning of personal multicultural perspective. I would explain to students “a multicultural perspective provides a way of understanding ourselves, encouraging us to look at how our own values and perspectives affect our view of the world” (http://thechp.syr.edu/dfpbmult.htm). Using these definition I would have my students begin thinking about their own cultures and how those cultures manifest themselves in the students actions and responses to different situations. Having students start to make these connections from the material to themselves will make the unit more meaningful and relevant to their lives. I will not be expecting students to understand or create meaning in an environment unlike anything they will experience. The connections will be made directly to their lives making all of the material and understanding useful.
As the unit progresses, students will continue to use journals to help reflect and develop their thinking of the concept of perspective and their own personal perspectives. I would also start to introduce different genre (poems, lyrics, essays and short stories) to help students start to read about and understand perspectives of individuals from different cultures. By using different genre, I would be able to show students different methods of writing about and expressing a multicultural perspective. As students interact with these texts, they will be required to participate in discussion to help grow their understanding of different cultures and their own perspective of these cultures. Students will also be required to create a text in each genre the class studies to help them understand how to write about their own perspective in that genre. Using these different genres will provide opportunity for students to express their own experiences and cultural identities in a form that their classmates will be learning to relate to and understand.
I feel that having students write in the different genres we study is important because it will help them to gain a greater appreciation of not only the genre, but the work that an author puts into a text to help present a certain opinion or idea. This will help students to understand what “good writing” is and what qualities a writer needs to create good writing. Kirby, Kirby, Liner discuss these qualities of good writing in their book Inside Out, focusing on qualities such as voice, imagery, and audience—qualities the students will have to understand and use in their own writing.
The texts that the students create will be presented orally to the group to help the class gain a deeper understanding of each individual member of the class, and to help strengthen the classroom community. In these presentations, student will be practicing the skill of oral presentation, which is also important because it is another tool of communication that students can use to help create understanding and connection between their own personal cultural identity and the cultural identities and perspectives of others. These texts will also become part of the culminating text each students will be required to create at the end of the unit. Therefore, the work that each student puts into the individual texts will help to create a model of the progress of understanding each student has throughout the course of the unit.
In the final portion of the unit, students will use the information they have gained to create a culminating text to express their own personal multicultural perspective. In this text, students will pull together the pieces they have written over the course of the semester to create one fluid multi-genre piece that articulates to others the way that this student looks at and understands the world. This final project will combine all of the information that students have gained and provide them with a concrete representation of the skills they have learned. This final text will also prove, that as a teacher, I have successfully accomplished the goal of the unit and provided students with the ability to understand their own perspectives and provided them with the ability to interact with and understand those with different perspectives (TED 83).
Although I have solid reasons for teaching my students the skills necessary to interact with others in an ever-changing and highly diverse world, some critics might say that my students will not need this diverse way of thinking because issues of race, gender, religion, affectional orientation, class ect. are no longer prevalent in modern America. They may also continue their argument with the fact that many of the students in my community do not continue on to high education and tend to remain in a similar track of life as their parents.
I would counter both of these arguments with the fact that although some may say that there is no longer prejudice prevalent in our society, it is still present. Many of my students experience prejudice in their education, and upbringing based both on location and access. I would also further counter these arguments with the fact that although it is true many of the students in my class will not continue on to high education, that does not mean that these students will not need to know how to interact with and understand those who are different from them. All individuals need to be able to communicate with those who are different from them. The skills and knowledge my lesson will provide are life skills, not just academic skills.
Throughout history, many groups or individuals have chosen to destroy whatever culture is different from their own—Cortez and the Aztecs, Adolf Hitler and the Jews, North and South in the Civil War, Liberals and Conservatives on political issues, Blacks and Whites on Civil Rights Issues—and repeatedly, these decisions have been viewed as terrible and destructive both as they are happening and after the event has occurred. As teachers, we strive to impart the injustice of destroying another’s culture simply because it is different from one’s own. It is this belief that became the main drive behind the unit I have designed on Multicultural Perspectives, and lead me to the conclusion that students need to learn the tools necessary to understand and communicate with those who are different from them. Through this unit, I hope to give students the tools necessary to not only understand themselves and the cultural perspectives they hold, but also to understand the various perspectives of classmates and how to make connections that create a community of understanding and acceptance.
In the first part of this unit, the students will be spending time writing about and understanding the idea of perspective. This will be an important step in the development of the unit. Many of my students will be unaware of their own personal perspectives on many of the issues around them and will not recognize that those perspectives are influenced by their culture. To help students to begin thinking about these issues, I will introduce them to journals as a way of communicating their ideas and thinking about the concept and the different exercises they participate in during and outside of class. The reason I have chosen journals and writing for this section of the class is to help students to create their own personal understanding of the concept of perspective. I will look over these journals periodically to gain insight into student understanding and to help bring common issues to the class that students may have raised in their writing.
Also, since I am attempting to create an environment in which students begin to understand and use tools of communication to help interact with and relate to others, practicing how to write fluently and expressively in the journal format will help students to become more comfortable with writing. Dan Kirby, Dawn Latta Kirby, and Tom Liner support me in this use of the journal stating, “the writer may feel freer in this place where spelling, punctuation, and usage will not be red-penciled…the personal level of the journal makes it a dynamic instructional tool without crossing boundaries of student-teacher roles” (Inside Out 61,63). The use of the journal will be to create an environment of fluency and openness where students can write their thoughts without fear of over-abundant correction. Students will be asked to write about different activities they do in and outside of class and will use their writing to help assist their comments and participation in class discussions where I will help to lead students in developing a class understanding of perspective.
The discussions I lead the class in will also help to create an open environment where students feel as though their comments are appreciated. I believe creating this type of environment is important for my students because they will need to feel comfortable and accepted in order to have a positive and powerful learning experience. In the book Choice Theory in the Classroom, William Glasser explains the importance of creating a classroom community where students feel accepted and able. “To work in secondary school, we have to devise programs in which it will make sense for…groups…to become friendly with each other and work together…This, in turn, will lead all students to do more work and become better friends” (12). I also feel that if all of my students are comfortable and accepted in the classroom, a sense of community will be created. Students will be able to learn from one another, work more collaboratively, and become more accepting and understanding of the many different perspectives present in the class.
Once the students have built a group understanding of the concept of perspective, I will introduce them to the idea of multicultural perspective. To do this, I would provide students with the definition of the term Multiculturalism: “the preservation of different cultures or cultural identities within a unified society” (http://dictionary.reference.com). Using this term, I would start to scaffold student learning of personal multicultural perspective. I would explain to students “a multicultural perspective provides a way of understanding ourselves, encouraging us to look at how our own values and perspectives affect our view of the world” (http://thechp.syr.edu/dfpbmult.htm). Using these definition I would have my students begin thinking about their own cultures and how those cultures manifest themselves in the students actions and responses to different situations. Having students start to make these connections from the material to themselves will make the unit more meaningful and relevant to their lives. I will not be expecting students to understand or create meaning in an environment unlike anything they will experience. The connections will be made directly to their lives making all of the material and understanding useful.
As the unit progresses, students will continue to use journals to help reflect and develop their thinking of the concept of perspective and their own personal perspectives. I would also start to introduce different genre (poems, lyrics, essays and short stories) to help students start to read about and understand perspectives of individuals from different cultures. By using different genre, I would be able to show students different methods of writing about and expressing a multicultural perspective. As students interact with these texts, they will be required to participate in discussion to help grow their understanding of different cultures and their own perspective of these cultures. Students will also be required to create a text in each genre the class studies to help them understand how to write about their own perspective in that genre. Using these different genres will provide opportunity for students to express their own experiences and cultural identities in a form that their classmates will be learning to relate to and understand.
I feel that having students write in the different genres we study is important because it will help them to gain a greater appreciation of not only the genre, but the work that an author puts into a text to help present a certain opinion or idea. This will help students to understand what “good writing” is and what qualities a writer needs to create good writing. Kirby, Kirby, Liner discuss these qualities of good writing in their book Inside Out, focusing on qualities such as voice, imagery, and audience—qualities the students will have to understand and use in their own writing.
The texts that the students create will be presented orally to the group to help the class gain a deeper understanding of each individual member of the class, and to help strengthen the classroom community. In these presentations, student will be practicing the skill of oral presentation, which is also important because it is another tool of communication that students can use to help create understanding and connection between their own personal cultural identity and the cultural identities and perspectives of others. These texts will also become part of the culminating text each students will be required to create at the end of the unit. Therefore, the work that each student puts into the individual texts will help to create a model of the progress of understanding each student has throughout the course of the unit.
In the final portion of the unit, students will use the information they have gained to create a culminating text to express their own personal multicultural perspective. In this text, students will pull together the pieces they have written over the course of the semester to create one fluid multi-genre piece that articulates to others the way that this student looks at and understands the world. This final project will combine all of the information that students have gained and provide them with a concrete representation of the skills they have learned. This final text will also prove, that as a teacher, I have successfully accomplished the goal of the unit and provided students with the ability to understand their own perspectives and provided them with the ability to interact with and understand those with different perspectives (TED 83).
Although I have solid reasons for teaching my students the skills necessary to interact with others in an ever-changing and highly diverse world, some critics might say that my students will not need this diverse way of thinking because issues of race, gender, religion, affectional orientation, class ect. are no longer prevalent in modern America. They may also continue their argument with the fact that many of the students in my community do not continue on to high education and tend to remain in a similar track of life as their parents.
I would counter both of these arguments with the fact that although some may say that there is no longer prejudice prevalent in our society, it is still present. Many of my students experience prejudice in their education, and upbringing based both on location and access. I would also further counter these arguments with the fact that although it is true many of the students in my class will not continue on to high education, that does not mean that these students will not need to know how to interact with and understand those who are different from them. All individuals need to be able to communicate with those who are different from them. The skills and knowledge my lesson will provide are life skills, not just academic skills.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Read it and Weep
Oh, Matt Nathanson! Not only do you have the skill to make words sing (he's actually that lovely voice you're hearing...if your volume is up); you are also witty between gigs.
http://blog.mattnathanson.com/ <-- Hit that. It's gold.
Oh, but before you do: I would like to specifically draw your attention to the entry titled "ronnie james deo." AND... you have to promise to read it before you read what I have to say because I don't want to kill it with all my analysis. Promise? Good. When you're done with that, feel free to read on.
I decided that it wasn't enough to settle for one version of good writing. (Bet you're disappointed. You were looking for the analysis right here, weren't you? Too bad.) I really liked the Matt Nathanson blog because he is one of my favorite musicians currently and, if my students were into the music I like (which I know they wont be) this would be an easy way to make connections with relevant material. From his blog I would then be able to make connections to his lyrics and show students that good writing comes in so many forms it is unreal. Open their eyes a little. Maybe blow a few minds. You know, nothin' big. Anyway... some of the other fab writing I stumbled across this week:
A facebook response from my friend Karen (she's an English major turned theatre living in NYC... one semester can do that to you.):
Boys = 1. His name is John and surprise, surprise, he lives in England! Who would've guessed!? Too bad there's a whole ocean between us! You may remember Sam, the one I was like, in LOVE with while I was there? Well, John happens to be a good friend of sam's and well, he came to visit while sam was here and we've talked every day since he left. On the down side, he's not the whole marriage minded type and he doesn't want kids or anything like that. At least that's what he says. Granted- We're in our 20's and I dont' want any of that right now either, but you know... it's nice to have the option. Anyways, he's coming to visit me in December so we'll see where it goes, I guess.
A bit of Jesse's writing from the last prompt I gave him:
If I would of known that when I got older I would love the rainy spring nights, and the calm of the lake, I would have held on to that cabin for dear life. Well I have to run, me and the Mrs. are going on a date. Make sure when you get to this day you bring an umbrella, it's raining.
Yourself,
Jesse Paremski
So, basically, I have pulled something from most parts of my life... minus my own writing, which you are getting a taste of here. Speaking of! Please feel free to comment on the worth of my writing... it would only be fair. And, since I have taken you all the way from popular culture, through the writing of a friend to a bit of academic writing, I think it is just about time to move on to my analysis. Ah! Look here, that's what's next.
Okay, first of all, I don't know what it is about his writing, but I just find it so honest and humorous. (KKL would say he is a master of the "Light Touch") Sometimes, I just read his blog when I am bored or need a quick pick-me-up. Almost always, I end up laughing aloud and reading a section to whoever is nearby (Usually my sister. She is lucky enough to hear A LOT of good writing). Most of this comes through from his voice and his sense of audience. Since it is a blog, it is basically a given that anyone who is reading is going to be interested in what he has to say. Otherwise, what's the point in coming back? Plus, blogging is a type of interactive journal. People often write more for themselves than for anyone else. That makes sincere and honest writing easier to come by. Who would write crap for themselves?
Anyway, to get myself to a point... his writing would be wonderful to show high school students for two reasons: 1. The material is relevant to them. Matt Nathanson is a modern singer and his songs are/were on the radio. But, how many of those kids would be thinking about what it takes to write a good lyric or the personal voice and humor that the artist might have? Making the connection would prove that good writing doesn't come only at the hand of an English major. 2. The writing is presented in a form to which many students are becoming accustomed. Blogging is a huge hit. Many kids have blogs and are able to keep up with friends and even just express the feelings and thoughts that they think no one (or in some cases everyone) wants to hear. How great would it have been, growing up, to have had access to good writing from someone you admired, and the ability to create your own writing in a similar format? Not every kid is going to have the opportunity to publish something. But, every kid can start up a blog and get writing.
Karen's FB Response:
Alright, time to tackle Karen's piece. I love Karen, but I can totally tell that she has slipped from the world of English. Mechanics fly out the window when you aren't placed on some pedestal (usually not by choice) as an expert. So, maybe she doesn't have ALL of the key elements of good writing, but let's be real--writing can be good and honest and still remain riddled with mistakes. That's why the writing process never ends. It is immortal. Basically. Anyway, this piece of writing is probably a bit biased because it was written between friends as a message on Facebook. Definitely not the normal realm of writing. But, since people refuse to buy back into the age of snail mail, I'm stuck communicating in the majority methods. I am not going to go through and pull out all of the minute details and tell you why this writing is good. Feel free to tell me it isn't. I just figure I will save your eyes a bit and just move onto the relevance of a piece of writing like this.
Using something from Facebook is a very easy way to connect with students. Especially if you were to pull up your account and show them something that a friend had written, or even asked them to record some of the good writing they see from friends and peers. Most likely the mechanics are going to be a bit off, simply because of the form the writing is taking, but the content can still be there. Showing students that writing--good writing--isn't only found between the pages of books, slapped on the shelves of the library, may just make some of them more willing to open their eyes to writing.
Jesse's Journal:
First thing that comes to mind is Inventive. That's one of the terms that KKL use to describe good writing. I didn't tell Jesse how to end his letter; I told him he should see himself as his audience--write something that he would want to read and would connect with. (I was trying to get at his voice. [sidenote: did anyone else just think of Little Mermaid? ...Ursula capturing Ariel's voice. No? Bet you're thinking of it now!]) When I received his response, I ended up reading this piece outloud too. (I guess I have a tell... This is good writing if: Alysha end's up grinning uncontrollably and reading the piece aloud. That, or I throw it up on FB). I found his "Yourself, Jesse" so inventive. Right, it is only a tiny piece of his writing. But, it is so creative, and so full of his voice. Also, from even these few simple sentences, I was able to learn something about who Jesse is and what is important to him. He was able to inform me, his reader, in that miniscule amount of time. Pretty stellar. And really, anyone who is willing to refer to a future Mrs. who does not exist and the necessity of an umbrella for a rainstorm a decade in the making could be crowned a champion of the Light Touch.
I know this bit it probably pretty straight forward, but this writing would be fabulous to show high school students, because it is FROM a high school student. How much more relevant can you get?
Finally, when I start teaching, I have seriously started to consider keeping a blog. If I am asking my students to write on... what? A daily basis? I should be able to prove to them that I can practice what I preach. And, what better way to show students examples of writing both through the process and as a final product? Done.
http://blog.mattnathanson.com/ <-- Hit that. It's gold.
Oh, but before you do: I would like to specifically draw your attention to the entry titled "ronnie james deo." AND... you have to promise to read it before you read what I have to say because I don't want to kill it with all my analysis. Promise? Good. When you're done with that, feel free to read on.
I decided that it wasn't enough to settle for one version of good writing. (Bet you're disappointed. You were looking for the analysis right here, weren't you? Too bad.) I really liked the Matt Nathanson blog because he is one of my favorite musicians currently and, if my students were into the music I like (which I know they wont be) this would be an easy way to make connections with relevant material. From his blog I would then be able to make connections to his lyrics and show students that good writing comes in so many forms it is unreal. Open their eyes a little. Maybe blow a few minds. You know, nothin' big. Anyway... some of the other fab writing I stumbled across this week:
A facebook response from my friend Karen (she's an English major turned theatre living in NYC... one semester can do that to you.):
Boys = 1. His name is John and surprise, surprise, he lives in England! Who would've guessed!? Too bad there's a whole ocean between us! You may remember Sam, the one I was like, in LOVE with while I was there? Well, John happens to be a good friend of sam's and well, he came to visit while sam was here and we've talked every day since he left. On the down side, he's not the whole marriage minded type and he doesn't want kids or anything like that. At least that's what he says. Granted- We're in our 20's and I dont' want any of that right now either, but you know... it's nice to have the option. Anyways, he's coming to visit me in December so we'll see where it goes, I guess.
A bit of Jesse's writing from the last prompt I gave him:
If I would of known that when I got older I would love the rainy spring nights, and the calm of the lake, I would have held on to that cabin for dear life. Well I have to run, me and the Mrs. are going on a date. Make sure when you get to this day you bring an umbrella, it's raining.
Yourself,
Jesse Paremski
So, basically, I have pulled something from most parts of my life... minus my own writing, which you are getting a taste of here. Speaking of! Please feel free to comment on the worth of my writing... it would only be fair. And, since I have taken you all the way from popular culture, through the writing of a friend to a bit of academic writing, I think it is just about time to move on to my analysis. Ah! Look here, that's what's next.
Analysis
Matt Nathanson Blog:Okay, first of all, I don't know what it is about his writing, but I just find it so honest and humorous. (KKL would say he is a master of the "Light Touch") Sometimes, I just read his blog when I am bored or need a quick pick-me-up. Almost always, I end up laughing aloud and reading a section to whoever is nearby (Usually my sister. She is lucky enough to hear A LOT of good writing). Most of this comes through from his voice and his sense of audience. Since it is a blog, it is basically a given that anyone who is reading is going to be interested in what he has to say. Otherwise, what's the point in coming back? Plus, blogging is a type of interactive journal. People often write more for themselves than for anyone else. That makes sincere and honest writing easier to come by. Who would write crap for themselves?
Anyway, to get myself to a point... his writing would be wonderful to show high school students for two reasons: 1. The material is relevant to them. Matt Nathanson is a modern singer and his songs are/were on the radio. But, how many of those kids would be thinking about what it takes to write a good lyric or the personal voice and humor that the artist might have? Making the connection would prove that good writing doesn't come only at the hand of an English major. 2. The writing is presented in a form to which many students are becoming accustomed. Blogging is a huge hit. Many kids have blogs and are able to keep up with friends and even just express the feelings and thoughts that they think no one (or in some cases everyone) wants to hear. How great would it have been, growing up, to have had access to good writing from someone you admired, and the ability to create your own writing in a similar format? Not every kid is going to have the opportunity to publish something. But, every kid can start up a blog and get writing.
Karen's FB Response:
Alright, time to tackle Karen's piece. I love Karen, but I can totally tell that she has slipped from the world of English. Mechanics fly out the window when you aren't placed on some pedestal (usually not by choice) as an expert. So, maybe she doesn't have ALL of the key elements of good writing, but let's be real--writing can be good and honest and still remain riddled with mistakes. That's why the writing process never ends. It is immortal. Basically. Anyway, this piece of writing is probably a bit biased because it was written between friends as a message on Facebook. Definitely not the normal realm of writing. But, since people refuse to buy back into the age of snail mail, I'm stuck communicating in the majority methods. I am not going to go through and pull out all of the minute details and tell you why this writing is good. Feel free to tell me it isn't. I just figure I will save your eyes a bit and just move onto the relevance of a piece of writing like this.
Using something from Facebook is a very easy way to connect with students. Especially if you were to pull up your account and show them something that a friend had written, or even asked them to record some of the good writing they see from friends and peers. Most likely the mechanics are going to be a bit off, simply because of the form the writing is taking, but the content can still be there. Showing students that writing--good writing--isn't only found between the pages of books, slapped on the shelves of the library, may just make some of them more willing to open their eyes to writing.
Jesse's Journal:
First thing that comes to mind is Inventive. That's one of the terms that KKL use to describe good writing. I didn't tell Jesse how to end his letter; I told him he should see himself as his audience--write something that he would want to read and would connect with. (I was trying to get at his voice. [sidenote: did anyone else just think of Little Mermaid? ...Ursula capturing Ariel's voice. No? Bet you're thinking of it now!]) When I received his response, I ended up reading this piece outloud too. (I guess I have a tell... This is good writing if: Alysha end's up grinning uncontrollably and reading the piece aloud. That, or I throw it up on FB). I found his "Yourself, Jesse" so inventive. Right, it is only a tiny piece of his writing. But, it is so creative, and so full of his voice. Also, from even these few simple sentences, I was able to learn something about who Jesse is and what is important to him. He was able to inform me, his reader, in that miniscule amount of time. Pretty stellar. And really, anyone who is willing to refer to a future Mrs. who does not exist and the necessity of an umbrella for a rainstorm a decade in the making could be crowned a champion of the Light Touch.
I know this bit it probably pretty straight forward, but this writing would be fabulous to show high school students, because it is FROM a high school student. How much more relevant can you get?
Finally, when I start teaching, I have seriously started to consider keeping a blog. If I am asking my students to write on... what? A daily basis? I should be able to prove to them that I can practice what I preach. And, what better way to show students examples of writing both through the process and as a final product? Done.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
A Work In Progress
Finished reading the chapters. Wish I had thought to look at some of those a bit earlier this semester. The information was something I had read before, and that I use on a near-daily basis in the Writing Center, but it was nice to read it again from the stance of a seasoned professional. Anyway... on to the reflection.
When I originally heard about this Facebook project for class, I was pumped. I had just come off of a research project over the summer in which I had studied the importance of information literacy in the modern classroom, and this opportunity to directly connect my research to my own teaching practice was exciting. I was a little apprehensive though, because I know that relating to someone only in a technological plain is difficult. There are different rules on the internet and different expectations. But, I figured it was worth a go. And why not, taking the time to experiment now would only pay off in the future (fewer hit and misses).
The first writing prompt was probably the hardest to write. I didn't know my students, had no idea how to relate to their lives, and had never written a prompt to give for a grade. So--lots of pressure. It didn't help that the first one was due even before class began. But, I plowed through it and managed to turn out a prompt I was pretty satisfied with. The response I got however, left me wondering. In preparing the prompt, I thought about the scaffolding necessary, tried to relate the subject to the unit of the class... basically, I attempted to give my students everything they could ask for to turn in some major writing. I got one response. It was choppy. It was Eng-fishy. I was sad.
The grades for the first response were a little harsh. I asked for more of him in his writing: more voice, more life, more...more! It was my first time responding to writing of a student I would be consistently working with and I was nervous. I felt like I was too critical, even though I used questions. I don't think I ended up giving him the feedback he really needed. (but, more on that later)
So anyway, after that little flub, I took another go at it. The next time I created a prompt with more brainstorming in a less structured way. And, since my student is a senior, I decided that maybe I should aim to get him talking about who he is based on who he wants to be. Because really, what are seniors thinking about if not the rest of their lives? I also made sure to suggest my student write this response as though he were his audience. Hoping this would help to get the fishiness out of his writing. And, I was so excited to see that whatever the case, things were improving! I got his writing back and there were parts that shone. Parts that made me so giggly that I couldn't stop smiling and immediately changed my status on facebook to the last two lines of his writing. I LOVED it. And that positive feedback in the form of a stronger piece of writing motivated me in my response. I was able to see where Jesse had used his own voice, and where he had taken the time to throw himself into his writing. There was humor, there was passion, and there was life. I could see it. I could hear it. It was amazing!
And, my response came more easily. I was able to give him feedback that was more positive, more excited. I told him what I liked and where I wanted to know more. I was able to give him credit for the time and effort he had put into his writing. And, although I was ecstatic about this piece of writing, I still made suggestions for where he could improve his writing even more and kill some of the fishiness that remained.
This leads us up to the final writing prompt. This last one was a bit of a slacker move on my part, if I am to be honest. That and a move to try to make some of Jesse's writing more meaningful. I simply asked him to work on one of his submitted pieces, make significant changes and resubmit. I wasn't really too surprised to find that he selected his second response. And, even though this piece was already better than the first response, he surprised me into giggliness with more voice, more introspection and some really amazing imagery. And again, Jesse made it to my FB status.
Overall, this experience working with student writing was exciting and insightful. I was able to move from looking at a piece of writing as a peer to examining it with a "listening eye" to see the good writerly qualities that every teacher hopes for in a student’s writing. Like I mentioned in my previous post, I am pretty sure that Jesse has spoiled me this past month. But, that motivation and passion that he was able to ignite in me as a teacher in training is something that I will always be able to come back to and build off of. This experience has opened my eyes up to the importance of response in the classroom with both new and flourishing writers. I hope that my continued work with the West De Pere kids will help me to become more confident and comfortable in my process of responding to writing. I also hope that by having the ability to immediately apply the knowledge that I learn and read about in the text for both this class and Block, I will be able to gain and maintain a deeper understanding of myself and my content area in connection with my future students.
When I originally heard about this Facebook project for class, I was pumped. I had just come off of a research project over the summer in which I had studied the importance of information literacy in the modern classroom, and this opportunity to directly connect my research to my own teaching practice was exciting. I was a little apprehensive though, because I know that relating to someone only in a technological plain is difficult. There are different rules on the internet and different expectations. But, I figured it was worth a go. And why not, taking the time to experiment now would only pay off in the future (fewer hit and misses).
The first writing prompt was probably the hardest to write. I didn't know my students, had no idea how to relate to their lives, and had never written a prompt to give for a grade. So--lots of pressure. It didn't help that the first one was due even before class began. But, I plowed through it and managed to turn out a prompt I was pretty satisfied with. The response I got however, left me wondering. In preparing the prompt, I thought about the scaffolding necessary, tried to relate the subject to the unit of the class... basically, I attempted to give my students everything they could ask for to turn in some major writing. I got one response. It was choppy. It was Eng-fishy. I was sad.
The grades for the first response were a little harsh. I asked for more of him in his writing: more voice, more life, more...more! It was my first time responding to writing of a student I would be consistently working with and I was nervous. I felt like I was too critical, even though I used questions. I don't think I ended up giving him the feedback he really needed. (but, more on that later)
So anyway, after that little flub, I took another go at it. The next time I created a prompt with more brainstorming in a less structured way. And, since my student is a senior, I decided that maybe I should aim to get him talking about who he is based on who he wants to be. Because really, what are seniors thinking about if not the rest of their lives? I also made sure to suggest my student write this response as though he were his audience. Hoping this would help to get the fishiness out of his writing. And, I was so excited to see that whatever the case, things were improving! I got his writing back and there were parts that shone. Parts that made me so giggly that I couldn't stop smiling and immediately changed my status on facebook to the last two lines of his writing. I LOVED it. And that positive feedback in the form of a stronger piece of writing motivated me in my response. I was able to see where Jesse had used his own voice, and where he had taken the time to throw himself into his writing. There was humor, there was passion, and there was life. I could see it. I could hear it. It was amazing!
And, my response came more easily. I was able to give him feedback that was more positive, more excited. I told him what I liked and where I wanted to know more. I was able to give him credit for the time and effort he had put into his writing. And, although I was ecstatic about this piece of writing, I still made suggestions for where he could improve his writing even more and kill some of the fishiness that remained.
This leads us up to the final writing prompt. This last one was a bit of a slacker move on my part, if I am to be honest. That and a move to try to make some of Jesse's writing more meaningful. I simply asked him to work on one of his submitted pieces, make significant changes and resubmit. I wasn't really too surprised to find that he selected his second response. And, even though this piece was already better than the first response, he surprised me into giggliness with more voice, more introspection and some really amazing imagery. And again, Jesse made it to my FB status.
Overall, this experience working with student writing was exciting and insightful. I was able to move from looking at a piece of writing as a peer to examining it with a "listening eye" to see the good writerly qualities that every teacher hopes for in a student’s writing. Like I mentioned in my previous post, I am pretty sure that Jesse has spoiled me this past month. But, that motivation and passion that he was able to ignite in me as a teacher in training is something that I will always be able to come back to and build off of. This experience has opened my eyes up to the importance of response in the classroom with both new and flourishing writers. I hope that my continued work with the West De Pere kids will help me to become more confident and comfortable in my process of responding to writing. I also hope that by having the ability to immediately apply the knowledge that I learn and read about in the text for both this class and Block, I will be able to gain and maintain a deeper understanding of myself and my content area in connection with my future students.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Jesse's Writing
Alright. I started to read through the chapters in KKL that we were assigned for this week, but I have a very short attention span at this moment, so I am going to take a break and just write in general about my ONE kid that I am working with from West De Pere. His name is Jesse, and I am a little bit in love with the fact that he is giving me great practice responding to real writing. However, I think he is spoiling me (mostly because he has responded to each of my prompts and gotten progressively better with each one). And, since I need to be doing... bout 50 things at a time right now to keep me motivated, I am going to post my prompts and his responses so that I can talk more effectively about each of them. But, don't worry, I wont write about them in this post. So, you can ignore this if you'd like.
Prompt 1: How is music connected to your identity?
Step 1:
This first one might be the most difficult (I know it would be for me). I am going to ask you to choose a song. This song can remind you of someone you care about, have a really catchy rhythm, or even be the last song you listened to.
Step 2:
Grab something to write with and a piece of paper (or a computer if you prefer).
Step 3:
Find somewhere you can listen to the song without any interruptions. As you listen to the song, write about whatever comes into your mind. (Repeat this step if necessary)
Step 4:
Look over your list and pick one or two of the feelings, events, places or people that you have jotted down. Expand on whatever selection you have made for your writing response—tell its story. Be as descriptive as possible. Try to make me feel like you did/do when you experience this event, feeling, person, or place.
Here are some questions to help with your response if you get stuck:
• Person: How does this person look, feel, smell, sound? What are some of his/her unique characteristics? What does this person mean to you?
• Feeling: What does this feeling do to you, what does it sound, look, smell, taste like? Is the feeling connected with anything or anyone? When is the last time you felt this way?
• Place: What happened at this place? What did/does it make you feel? What did/does the place sound, feel, look, and smell like?
• Event/Time in Life: Did this event change you? What significance does the event hold in your life? What did the event feel, sound, taste, look, smell like?
Response 1:
I chose the song "It does'nt have to be that way", by Jim Croce. This song really brings up a lot of thoughts in my head, along with many memories. My older brother Peter passed away in 2007, taking with him an amazing musical talent. He loved guitar and music in general, as do I. This song reminds me of the occurance of his passing because I can remember sitting in my room listening to the cd of my brothers songs, one of them being this one. Although this song brings up a sad time in my life, it was a major factor in who I am today. The funny thing is that I hear this song at work a lot, and everytime it's like it brings me back in time. The feeling that this song brings up is regret. I regret not visiting my brother as much as I could of. It reminds me of the phone call my Dad made saying what had happpened and the long, silent car ride home from the concert we were at. Overall, this was the biggest, most significant, event in my life, that such a simple song can bring back.
Prompt 2: Who do I want to be when I grow up?
Yes, I know that this question is a little cliché. So, to avoid getting the cliché answers, I am going to ask you to answer the question a little differently. First, what I would like you to do is sit down with a piece of scratch paper and start writing down some things that are important to you. Some of these things might be people, activities, places, qualities you admire in yourself and others, physical or nonphysical possessions, hobbies, as well as some of your biggest dreams for the future. Take a good look at this list and mark off the top 5 most important (please turn this list in when you turn in your response). Now that you have a few things to focus on in your writing, it’s time to start.
This is where we get to the new spin on an old question. I want you to pretend that you found a letter you had written to yourself. The catch is, this letter is dated 10 years in the future! That’s right, I am asking you to write yourself a letter from the future. In this letter, I want your future self to tell your current self about your life. Use the five things you have marked off from your brainstorming to help you discuss your future life. This letter is an opportunity to talk about what is important to you in life and whether the things that you think are important now will still be important in the future. Some questions you may consider asking yourself to help guide your writing may be: What has changed in my life? Have my priorities changed? What is my job/career? Who are the important people in my future life? What is valuable to me?
I would like you to write this letter to yourself. Don’t worry about using the biggest words you can think of, or the most complex thoughts. Think hard about yourself; what is important to you and how that can change in 10 years. Take your time and feel free to rewrite if your first draft isn’t your best. All writers revise—even the published type. I have posted a sample start of a letter on the discussion board to give you an option for formatting. Feel free to post any questions you may have there, on my wall, or send me a message (I check my FB most days). Remember, your response is due to me on Wednesday by the end of the day. Be creative and have fun!
Response 2:
goals:
get a degree in something
do a drum corp for at least a year
moved out and on my own
teach music
be married
Dear Jesse,
I never would of thought I would have it so great. I can think back and remember not knowing what I wanted to do with my life, but look at me now, it's all set in. I have a steady, well paying job that I love, teaching kids music. I have a wife that is a wonderful and gorgeous woman. It's a lovely world being in a warm state, I hate the cold. So far the best experience was marching drum corp two years back. I learned so many valuable lessons and loved the environment and the people I met. It is nice being 28, I never thought growing up would be a good thing. I love going to our cottage just north of here, I knew I would regret agreeing with my parent to sell ours when I was younger. Well I got to run, me and the Mrs. are going on a date. Make sure when you get to this day you bring an umbrella, it's raining.
Yourself,
Jesse Paremski
Prompt 3:
This week, we are going to take a slightly different approach to the journal writing. Instead of writing about a completely different topic, or a question I pose, I would like you to go back to one of the journals that you have submitted previously and take the time to edit and revise your writing and resubmit it. Basically, I would like you to take one of the journal writings, look at the comments I made, and take some time to address both those comments and any inspiration you may get from going back to your writing. Add information where I asked questions, or take one of the stories that you started to write about and expand upon it.
I know this prompt is very open to interpretation; if you have any questions, feel free to send me a message or post on the wall. Also, feel free to post your journal as a response to this discussion post if you are comfortable. If not, we can stick to using the messages. Remember the post is due by Wednesday night, so if you need any help at all, make sure you give me time to respond. Happy writing!
Note: There must be significant change made from the original piece. If you feel this is not possible, please contact me for advice/suggestions.
Response 3:
Dear Jesse,
I never would have thought I would have it so great. I can think back and remember not knowing what I wanted to do with my life, but look at me now, it's all set in. I have a steady, well paying job that I love, teaching kids music. I have a wife that is a wonderful and gorgeous woman. It's a lovely world being in a warm state, I hate the cold. So far the best experience was marching drum corp two years back. I learned so many valuable lessons and loved the environment and the people I met. Turning a group of people in a drumline into a family.Even thought meeting deadlines was stressfull, and the noise was tremendous, I learned how to work as a team, and become friends with just about anyone. Now that I am older these lessons have been very helpful because when your get older, you have to meet new people and sometimes, you have to like them even if you don't want to. It is nice being 28 though, I never thought growing up would be a good thing. I knew once I grew up I would be able to make my own decisions. Some were bad, but some where good, like buying our new cottage, our home away from home. It is just north of here, I knew I would regret agreeing with my parent to sell ours when I was younger. On long trips I was always bored as a child. If I would of known that when I got older I would love the rainy spring nights, and the calm of the lake, I would have held on to that cabin for dear life. Well I have to run, me and the Mrs. are going on a date. Make sure when you get to this day you bring an umbrella, it's raining.
Yourself,
Jesse Paremski
Prompt 1: How is music connected to your identity?
Step 1:
This first one might be the most difficult (I know it would be for me). I am going to ask you to choose a song. This song can remind you of someone you care about, have a really catchy rhythm, or even be the last song you listened to.
Step 2:
Grab something to write with and a piece of paper (or a computer if you prefer).
Step 3:
Find somewhere you can listen to the song without any interruptions. As you listen to the song, write about whatever comes into your mind. (Repeat this step if necessary)
Step 4:
Look over your list and pick one or two of the feelings, events, places or people that you have jotted down. Expand on whatever selection you have made for your writing response—tell its story. Be as descriptive as possible. Try to make me feel like you did/do when you experience this event, feeling, person, or place.
Here are some questions to help with your response if you get stuck:
• Person: How does this person look, feel, smell, sound? What are some of his/her unique characteristics? What does this person mean to you?
• Feeling: What does this feeling do to you, what does it sound, look, smell, taste like? Is the feeling connected with anything or anyone? When is the last time you felt this way?
• Place: What happened at this place? What did/does it make you feel? What did/does the place sound, feel, look, and smell like?
• Event/Time in Life: Did this event change you? What significance does the event hold in your life? What did the event feel, sound, taste, look, smell like?
Response 1:
I chose the song "It does'nt have to be that way", by Jim Croce. This song really brings up a lot of thoughts in my head, along with many memories. My older brother Peter passed away in 2007, taking with him an amazing musical talent. He loved guitar and music in general, as do I. This song reminds me of the occurance of his passing because I can remember sitting in my room listening to the cd of my brothers songs, one of them being this one. Although this song brings up a sad time in my life, it was a major factor in who I am today. The funny thing is that I hear this song at work a lot, and everytime it's like it brings me back in time. The feeling that this song brings up is regret. I regret not visiting my brother as much as I could of. It reminds me of the phone call my Dad made saying what had happpened and the long, silent car ride home from the concert we were at. Overall, this was the biggest, most significant, event in my life, that such a simple song can bring back.
Prompt 2: Who do I want to be when I grow up?
Yes, I know that this question is a little cliché. So, to avoid getting the cliché answers, I am going to ask you to answer the question a little differently. First, what I would like you to do is sit down with a piece of scratch paper and start writing down some things that are important to you. Some of these things might be people, activities, places, qualities you admire in yourself and others, physical or nonphysical possessions, hobbies, as well as some of your biggest dreams for the future. Take a good look at this list and mark off the top 5 most important (please turn this list in when you turn in your response). Now that you have a few things to focus on in your writing, it’s time to start.
This is where we get to the new spin on an old question. I want you to pretend that you found a letter you had written to yourself. The catch is, this letter is dated 10 years in the future! That’s right, I am asking you to write yourself a letter from the future. In this letter, I want your future self to tell your current self about your life. Use the five things you have marked off from your brainstorming to help you discuss your future life. This letter is an opportunity to talk about what is important to you in life and whether the things that you think are important now will still be important in the future. Some questions you may consider asking yourself to help guide your writing may be: What has changed in my life? Have my priorities changed? What is my job/career? Who are the important people in my future life? What is valuable to me?
I would like you to write this letter to yourself. Don’t worry about using the biggest words you can think of, or the most complex thoughts. Think hard about yourself; what is important to you and how that can change in 10 years. Take your time and feel free to rewrite if your first draft isn’t your best. All writers revise—even the published type. I have posted a sample start of a letter on the discussion board to give you an option for formatting. Feel free to post any questions you may have there, on my wall, or send me a message (I check my FB most days). Remember, your response is due to me on Wednesday by the end of the day. Be creative and have fun!
Response 2:
goals:
get a degree in something
do a drum corp for at least a year
moved out and on my own
teach music
be married
Dear Jesse,
I never would of thought I would have it so great. I can think back and remember not knowing what I wanted to do with my life, but look at me now, it's all set in. I have a steady, well paying job that I love, teaching kids music. I have a wife that is a wonderful and gorgeous woman. It's a lovely world being in a warm state, I hate the cold. So far the best experience was marching drum corp two years back. I learned so many valuable lessons and loved the environment and the people I met. It is nice being 28, I never thought growing up would be a good thing. I love going to our cottage just north of here, I knew I would regret agreeing with my parent to sell ours when I was younger. Well I got to run, me and the Mrs. are going on a date. Make sure when you get to this day you bring an umbrella, it's raining.
Yourself,
Jesse Paremski
Prompt 3:
This week, we are going to take a slightly different approach to the journal writing. Instead of writing about a completely different topic, or a question I pose, I would like you to go back to one of the journals that you have submitted previously and take the time to edit and revise your writing and resubmit it. Basically, I would like you to take one of the journal writings, look at the comments I made, and take some time to address both those comments and any inspiration you may get from going back to your writing. Add information where I asked questions, or take one of the stories that you started to write about and expand upon it.
I know this prompt is very open to interpretation; if you have any questions, feel free to send me a message or post on the wall. Also, feel free to post your journal as a response to this discussion post if you are comfortable. If not, we can stick to using the messages. Remember the post is due by Wednesday night, so if you need any help at all, make sure you give me time to respond. Happy writing!
Note: There must be significant change made from the original piece. If you feel this is not possible, please contact me for advice/suggestions.
Response 3:
Dear Jesse,
I never would have thought I would have it so great. I can think back and remember not knowing what I wanted to do with my life, but look at me now, it's all set in. I have a steady, well paying job that I love, teaching kids music. I have a wife that is a wonderful and gorgeous woman. It's a lovely world being in a warm state, I hate the cold. So far the best experience was marching drum corp two years back. I learned so many valuable lessons and loved the environment and the people I met. Turning a group of people in a drumline into a family.Even thought meeting deadlines was stressfull, and the noise was tremendous, I learned how to work as a team, and become friends with just about anyone. Now that I am older these lessons have been very helpful because when your get older, you have to meet new people and sometimes, you have to like them even if you don't want to. It is nice being 28 though, I never thought growing up would be a good thing. I knew once I grew up I would be able to make my own decisions. Some were bad, but some where good, like buying our new cottage, our home away from home. It is just north of here, I knew I would regret agreeing with my parent to sell ours when I was younger. On long trips I was always bored as a child. If I would of known that when I got older I would love the rainy spring nights, and the calm of the lake, I would have held on to that cabin for dear life. Well I have to run, me and the Mrs. are going on a date. Make sure when you get to this day you bring an umbrella, it's raining.
Yourself,
Jesse Paremski
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Planning the End
The culminating text that I plan to assign my students would align best with Smagorinsky's multimedia research project. This project would pull together the different pieces of my unit, creating a final text that would be similar to the MyStory Project that many of us completed in English 210. I chose this type of research project because it would allow me to tie in different aspects of perspective, proving students with space to interact with their research. I also like bringing in the multimedia aspect to this project because I would then offer students opportunity to use technology, music clips, and other forms of expression that might fit better with unique individuals.
This text would be a compilation of poems, short stories, and journal writings done by the students in response to different materials and texts that are presented in class. Students will have to understand the different aspects of perspective to help create their personal text with flow and introspective thinking. Students will not only be required to add their own works to this project, but will also be asked to make connections between their personal thoughts and the thoughts of the authors and texts we use in class. Also, these projects will be presented to the class as another method of teaching perspective.
I feel that this type of project will be more approachable to my students; and since I plan to create some of the pieces that will tie into this project over the course of the semester, the project will be relevant and useful to students learning. I also think that providing my students with the opportunity to work with different forms of technology and materials, I would be opening up their abilities and providing opportunity that these students might not get in other situations.
Students will understand how to write from their own unique personal perspectives, using tone, mood, language, etc. to help create a text that expresses those perspectives and interacts with the perspectives of other authors and texts. Students will also know how to write poems, short descriptive stories, and other types of writing. Also, since technology will be used, students will learn how to use and present their learning through different forms of media. This means that I will have to scaffold writing, peer critique, oral presentation, discussion, technology use, and the understanding of the concepts connected to perspectives.
Upon completing this project, students will be able to understand different perspectives and be able to communicate and relate to these differences. Students will also be able to write introspectively on their own personal perspectives on texts and issues discussed in class, with the tools to do the same in future situations.
This text would be a compilation of poems, short stories, and journal writings done by the students in response to different materials and texts that are presented in class. Students will have to understand the different aspects of perspective to help create their personal text with flow and introspective thinking. Students will not only be required to add their own works to this project, but will also be asked to make connections between their personal thoughts and the thoughts of the authors and texts we use in class. Also, these projects will be presented to the class as another method of teaching perspective.
I feel that this type of project will be more approachable to my students; and since I plan to create some of the pieces that will tie into this project over the course of the semester, the project will be relevant and useful to students learning. I also think that providing my students with the opportunity to work with different forms of technology and materials, I would be opening up their abilities and providing opportunity that these students might not get in other situations.
Students will understand how to write from their own unique personal perspectives, using tone, mood, language, etc. to help create a text that expresses those perspectives and interacts with the perspectives of other authors and texts. Students will also know how to write poems, short descriptive stories, and other types of writing. Also, since technology will be used, students will learn how to use and present their learning through different forms of media. This means that I will have to scaffold writing, peer critique, oral presentation, discussion, technology use, and the understanding of the concepts connected to perspectives.
Upon completing this project, students will be able to understand different perspectives and be able to communicate and relate to these differences. Students will also be able to write introspectively on their own personal perspectives on texts and issues discussed in class, with the tools to do the same in future situations.
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